Holy Health Care: This Week’s Most Searched ETFs

Commodity ETFs News:

Let’s just go ahead and eschew cheeky puns regarding feeling healthy and writing prescriptions to get down to the nitty gritty: Exchange traded funds holding health care stocks have been stellar performers this year.

Those ETFs have also been quite popular, at least on ETF Trends, as this week’s most searched data confirms. For the just completed week, four of the 10 most searched ETFs were health care funds. The leader of not just the health care quartet but of the top-10 as well was the iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (NasdaqGS: IBB).

IBB’s leadership spot is not surprising for several reasons. First, biotech ETFs have been making frequent appearances on our weekly most searched recaps. Second, the biotech sub-sector has been a primary driver of health care’s upside this year. Third, there has been increasing talk about a biotech bubble. [Health Care ETFs Face Lofty Valuations]

IBB was the most searched ETF on our site this week, but SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (NYSEArca: XBI) has been this year’s best biotech ETF. XBI added to those gains Friday on heavy volume following our in-depth look at the ETF. [This Year’s Best Biotech ETF]

The Health Care Select Sector SPDR (NYSEArca: XLV) also appeared among the 10 most searched ETFs, but investors showed willingness to at least research riskier fare as the ProShares Ultra Nasdaq Biotechnology (NasdaqGS: BIB) and the Direxion Daily Healthcare Bull 3x Shares (NYSEArca: CURE) also appeared in the top-10.

The most searched international ETF this week, and by a wide margin we should add, was the WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Dividend Fund (NYSEArca: DFE). DFE also appeared in last week’s top-10. The iShares MSCI Turkey ETF (NYSEArca: TUR) was the most searched emerging markets ETF. DFE and TUR each finished the week modestly to the upside.

The Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (NYSEArca: VIG), a mainstay on our most searched lists, was the most popular broader market ETF, followed by the Market Vectors Wide Moat ETF (NYSEArca: MOAT).

Rounding out the top-20 were four more four health care ETFs, two commodities funds, two dividend ETFs, an industrial ETF and a broad market U.S. equity fund.